If you haven’t found Mars yet, tomorrow night, Jan. 2, offers a great opportunity. The moon and Mars appear side by side. The moon is one day past full moon, and the two rise together about an hour after sunset. They are in the zodiacal constellation Cancer, near the Sickle in the constellation Leo, the lion.

Mars reaches opposition later in the month. Astronomers estimate Mars is 68 million miles away and getting closer; by the end of the month, Mars will be seven million miles closer.

The gibbous moon moves up close to the bright star Regulus, in Leo, on Monday night.

Later in the week, the moon appears in proximity to the bright planet Saturn, in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The moon will be one day short of last quarter.

Jupiter and Venus

The brightest planet in our night sky, Jupiter, appears low in the southwestern sky after sunset. Jupiter is getting closer to the western sky and by the end of the month will be in the light of twilight.

Venus is too close in line with the sun to be viewed this month. Venus has been a morning planet for many months, going all the way back to last summer. That is changing; Venus will appear as an evening planet beginning in February. For now, the planet is slipping into superior conjunction; it will pass behind the bright sun on Jan. 11.